A rose called by any other name still smells as sweet. I have long speculated how rescued dogs get their names. Some do come with a name, if someone is forced to give their pet up. But others who are strays arrive without designations, so I often wonder, and discuss with my friends who are into dog rescuing, how the dogs get their names. Take Coleman and Colin whom I wrote about last week (see below), for example. Did someone just pull two names out of the air? Did Coleman look like a Coleman? I certainly don't think so. And I believe Colin is a British name. Did his brother look more British, ergo his name? Did someone just think two names that started with the same letter would be cute for two dogs who looked so much alike? If so, why not more dog-like names, like Boomer and Bowser, or Rocky and Rover?
I have voiced my theory to my friends. I now voice my opinion publicly. I think there is a long list of male and female pet names in alphabetical order from which various rescue groups ascribe the next dog's name. There is no thought put toward finding the perfect name. After all, most rescue groups are usually overwhelmed with barking buddies or frisky felines to take an extra second to figure out a marvelous moniker. It takes far less energy to look at the next name on the list and dub the dog. Their energy is far better spent on rescuing efforts, of course.
Hence, Coleman and Colin adhere to my theory nicely. I adopted two cats years ago who were sisters and came with the names Daniella and Daphne -- names that fall perfectly in line with my hypothesis. Daphne was a beautiful, dainty gray and white tabby cat, so I kept her name because it suited her. Daniella, on the other hand, besides being quite a mouthful, did not suit the other one at all. You know her today as my Riley, a mottled sweetie with a coat of many colors, without a regal bone in her body. Daniella just seemed much too high-falutin' for my scraggly little charge. So she became my Riley, or more technically speaking, my Riley May. She took to her name without complaint and so it's been for almost 19 years. And she's still going strong.
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| Bocephus - AKA Fido, Spot -- Just call me yours! |
But I digress.
All of this brings me to the reason for this post. Dearest, darling, bouncing Bocephus is currently at Molly's Country Kennels. Really?!!? Bocephus? Please, please, somebody rescue him quickly from his fate of being known as Bocephus for another week! He deserves better! "Fido" would be a step up! Even "Spot" has a better ring to it! Okay, okay, it appears he has no spots. But he certainly has no bocephuses either! In fact, it sounds like a horrible disease!
Anyway, Bocephus -- may I call him Bo -- is a medium-sized lab mix, and does best if not around other dogs. You may read more about him by clicking on the link below. Please keep Bocephus in your kind thoughts, if nothing else, as I think he needs all the help he can get. After all, I don't think"Bocephus" will even fit on a dog tag!
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